Housing association Fyne Homes is to build a three turbine community wind farm in Argyll and Bute.

Triodos Bank is providing £11.4 million to support the development and the Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise, is making a £2.82 million investment via the Renewable Energy Investment Fund.

Read More

The Argyll and Bute project is only the second community renewable energy project led by a Scottish housing agency, the first being Berwickshire Housing Association's 19GW three turbine community wind farm at Hoprigshiels Farm, near Cockburnspath, which launched last year to support the delivery of new housing.

Fyne Homes said the 6.9-megawatt wind farm development, at Auchadaduie, Glenbarr in the Kintyre Peninsula, has been 10 years in the planning.

The Argyll and Bute project is only the second community renewable energy project led by a Scottish housing agency

Alan Hobbit, previously of Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust, first came up with the idea for the Auchadaduie development, and the project is now being taken forward by Fyne Futures, supported by parent company, Fyne Homes.

The 6.9-megawatt wind farm will meet the power needs of around 4,000 households at optimum output.

Fyne Homes estimates the development will deliver £15.6 million of community and charitable benefit over the next 20 years.

The project is expected to deliver an average of £750,000 in community benefit each year, which will be split equally across three community initiatives: supporting social housing charitable objectives led by Fyne Homes; charitable employability and environmental priorities led by Fyne Futures; and investment in local community identified priorities.

Read More

Colin Renfrew, chief executive of Fyne Homes, said: “We are appreciative that Triodos Bank and Scottish Investment Bank recognise the economic, social and environmental value of our three turbine development, providing essential investment to make the project a reality.

Kerry Sharp, director of the Scottish Investment Bank, said: “After ten years of development, we are delighted to help secure this investment in Scotland.